The Lost Laverne
by frostforge44
Summary: Adelita de la Vega is forcibly taken from her home in Santo Pollo after discovering a treacherous plot. In a new world, she'll meet new friends, enemies, and everything in between on her journey from the life of a young aristocrat to future famous swashbuckler. No further summary. This and basically a game walkthrough with my own personal twists and added OCs.
1. The Kidnapping

**I have to say that I've played the game and just like everyone else I'm impatiently awaiting the rest of the plot to be finished. Seriously, I don't know why they didn't finish it in the first place. Anyway, this is my first Pirate101 fanfic and it's a bit different from the rest, so please no harsh comments, but constructive criticism is accepted. Sadly, I do not own Pirate101. It belongs to Kingsisle Entertainment. I only own my OCs: Adelita, Rosella, Diego, Hilario, Bailey McKrane, Carter Wallace, and Claudia. Thanks!**

"Where has he gone now?" Adelita de la Vega irritably asked, cross armed and eyes narrowed at her two care-takers, Rosella and Diego Barbanos.

Adelita was fourteen years of age but always seemed to be more mature and at times less mature than children her age. She had chocolate brown hair reaching down to the middle of her back, the hair from the neck down seeming to be spiky. Around her neck was a her prized possession: A black leather choker with a decorative, sky blue rose as the centerpiece.

Turquoise was the color of her eyes, the same as her shoulder-less, elbow-length dress which was also rimmed with indigo and reached just to her ankles.

"Adelita, your father is out running important errands. You should know that by now," Rosella, a hen with dark tan feathers and black hair tied up in a tight bun, soothed. She wore a dark green dress and wore spectacles, indicating her aging brown eyes.

All the while, a little Armadillo Verde sat at Adelita's feet. She had found him, named him Hilario, and kept him in her home for nearly six years. The whole argument going on made Hilario turn his head back and forth to whoever was talking as if he understood.

"How many errands does he have to do?! He does it everyday!" Adelita exasperated. "There is no possible way that he has errands to do every single day of the year!"

"_Mi flora pequena_," Diego, a light brown rooster with gray eyes sporting a pair of red overalls and a shirt underneath, tried to reason. "Your _papa_ is a very important man in Cool Ranch and many things demand his attention. You must be patient."

"Am _I_ not important to _him_?!" She shouted at them, her anger flaring at the two poultry caretakers. Their eyes went wide and their beaks dropped open a little at her in shock. "You should know. You never see me and him together."

Adelita merely shook her head, grabbed her basket and went to leave the room, "I'm going into the village. Come, Hilario."

Hilario merely curled up into a ball, rolled forward and jumped, bouncing himself off of the ground and into her basket.

"Adelita, be reasonable!" Rosella desperately shouted after her.

Adelita opened one of the front double doors that lead to the village and closed it behind her, ignoring the hen. She blew out a breath of air and tried to tuck the one pestering bang that always covered her right eye, only for it to fall back there again.

She sighed, "Come on, Hilario. Let's go and visit Cooper's Roost. Maybe Aunt Jane and Uncle Bill will understand."

* * *

"Thanks again for the ride, Juan," Adelita handed the banditoad a few golden coins for the service of taking her from Santo Pollo to Cooper's Roost.

"No problem chiquita," the banditoad waved as he placed the coins in his payment pouch. "Just send a Blood Bat when you want to go home."

"Of course," she smiled and waved back as she stepped off the ship and onto the docks of Cooper's Roost. It was warming to know that not all banditoads were evil, selfish thieves.

Banditoads were a big problem when it came to the village of Santo Pollo. They are taxed horrendously by their "benevolent" _presidente_, Santa Rana; and as if it weren't enough, banditoads rob the poor people of their money so that they barely have anything for themselves.

The only thing, the only person keeping the hope of Santo Pollo alive was their protector: El Toro. He was the reason the villagers kept working, kept fighting on against the raids and taxes.

Adelita sighed heavily at the thought. All her life, ever since she's heard her father tell her stories of the mysterious man, she's wondered what El Toro was like. What was he like? How has he eluded the frogerales so long? Better yet, why is he there and gone in an instant when he protects the village?

"Maybe he doesn't want to be caught, is all," she muttered to herself.

What hung more over her head was that her father, Don Rodrigo, had said that he knew El Toro and has met him before. Ever since she was little, she had been asking constantly how they had met, but he would refuse to tell her. Which really only made her believe he was only joking as she got older. However, that didn't necessarily mean she thought he was a myth.

"What do you think, Hilario?" Adelita asked the Armadillo Verde. "I know we've never met El Toro, but do you think he knows about us?"

Hilario let out a squeaky yawn as he uncurled himself. He looked up and blinked his black eyes at her as his answer.

"Yeah," she smiled to herself. "He probably does."

She lifted her dress ever so slightly as she made her way up the flights of stairs to the top, where the little town of Cooper's Roost was. It was a nice little settlement with nice people.

"Adelita," the sheriff, Rooster Cogburn, greeted with a tip of his hat as he exited the Silver Spur Saloon.

The Silver Spur Saloon was owned by Jane Canary and Bill Peacock. The place was made for just about anything for anyone who wanted to have a good time: card playing, music playing every hour of the day, entertainment on occasion, or just to lounge around with good friends.

"Good day, Sheriff Cogburn," Adelita smiled and nodded kindly in return as she stopped at the edge of the wooden porch of the saloon. "I trust it's been a peaceful day?"

"Quieter than it's been in weeks. Still keepin' an eye out for trouble, though," Rooster said, his good blue eye shifting as if danger would leap out at that very second.

Adelita chuckled as she stepped onto the porch, "Of course. You might be needed soon. It was very pleasant to see you again, Sheriff."

"Same to you, buck-a-roo," Rooster waved to her as he stepped off the porch, his claw feet scratching the ground as he casually walked back to the sheriff's office.

Adelita pushed onto the shutter doors of the saloon and was immediately greeted by the scent of yum and lit candles.

"Hiya, Addie!" Bailey McKrane called out, waving at her to join his table of pals, his green eyes wide and excited and his long beak in a large grin.

Bailey was a crow with a big heart, but his beak never really closed at all. He was about Adelita's age, if not a little older. All he wore was a black paper boy hat, a short yellow long-sleeved shirt, long black trousers that covered his long, slender legs, and spurs on his clawed, yellow feet. To say the least, he liked the color black and yellow.

"Hello, Bailey," Adelita waved to him and the rest of the members of the group. "And you too, Carter and Claudia."

Carter Wallace, in Adelita's opinion, was a bit too flamboyant for her taste. In other words, he was also a shameless flirt, especially with her. He was a brown rooster and one of the ranger's sons that transferred in from the town of Tumbleweed not so long ago. Not to mention he was a ranger-to-be. He wore a tan ten-gallon hat, a light brown vest that covered a white long-sleeved shirt, brown trousers with spark throwing pistols in their holsters, and also had spurs on his yellow talons.

"Well howdy to you too, Adelita," he smirked, winking one of his sapphire eyes at her. Of course, word of his courting had not reached her father. She found it annoying, but he didn't want the poor guy to suffer because that's exactly what would happen. His head was suddenly thrown forward and he gave out a loud, "OWW!"

He rubbed the sore spot on his head with his wing as Claudia took her wooden and feathered staff back to her side. Claudia was a coyote dressed in Buffaloon skins made into a light brown dress that went well with her brownish gray fur. Violet and green paints were painted into various markings on her fur. She was raised by the tribal Bison that lived nearby and is now a shaman-in-training.

"Your flirtatious ways will one day be known by her father. Then you'll be sorry you set eyes on her, Claw Foot," she smirked, blinking her violet eyes in satisfaction. Carter merely humphed and turned his head away with crossed wings.

Adelita smiled at her, mouthing a thank you as she sat down in the open chair Bailey offered her, "So, what's going on today?"

The three looked at each other, grinned and nodded at Bailey to tell her.

Bailey nodded back and waved his wing for her to come closer. Raising an eyebrow, she leaned in, even Hilario poked his head out of the basket tolisten in. Bailey whispered, in a low voice, "We saw some weird looking ships heading over to your Skyway. We saw some while we were at the little island just across the way. It looked like they were heading to that Castillo Sapo place."

"That's Santa Rana's fortress," Adelita looked at them all with wide eyes. "What could anyone want with _him_?"

"That's what we're hoping ta find out," Carter explained, total seriousness in his voice. It wasn't often they heard it from him, so he was obviously suspicious of the newcomers.

"Yes. The wind has spoken to me of them, as well," Claudia said, her ears twitching uneasily. "They are evil beings. They come here only to do evil things."

"And we're hoping to get to the bottom of it and stop it before it happens," Bailey piped, finishing their plan. "And we were actually hoping you would come. We were gonna ask you if you'd like to join us."

"I think I'll have to pass on that," Adelita shook her head. "My papa tells me I'm never to go there."

"Aw, come on, Adelita! You're not gonna be daddy's lil' girl forever, are you?" Carter snapped. "Besides, with all those "errands" you say he does, he won't even notice you're gone. We'll be there and out in less than ten minutes. He'll never know you were ever there."

Carter had an excellent point, she thought, but she still wasn't so sure. She was definitely _not _daddy's little girl, but she still didn't want to go against his wishes. As annoying as his constant absences and lack of attention with her was, he made these kind of rules for a reason. He wanted her safe because he loved her and she loved him. She most definitely didn't want to spite him by going to Santa Rana's home.

"Adelita," Claudia started, interrupting her thoughts. "Don't listen to Carter. The choice is entirely up to you."

"Yeah, and it's not like we're going in there unarmed. I've got my daddy's rifle," Bailey said enthusiastically. "Carter's got his pistols and Claudia has her staff."

Adelita raised her eyebrows at him, "And if I were to join you, what would _I _do to defend myself?"

"Point taken," Bailey rubbed his beak in thought, then he perked up a thought. "I know just the thing! I'll be right back!"

He shot up out of his chair and ran for the exit, but not before his caught on a occupied chair leg. Adelita, Carter, and Claudia winced as he yelped and he flew forward, land flat on the floor. Many of the patrons, especially the one in the chair that tripped from his chair, turned from their activities and looked at him in shock. That was another thing about Bailey, he was a complete and total klutz.

"I'm okay!" he waved a wing as he got up and ran right through the shutter doors. The patrons merely shrugged their shoulders and went back to their business.

"I swear, that crow is getting clumsier with each step he takes," Carter shook his head.

"Maybe he has many things on his mind at once that he doesn't watch where he's going," Claudia thought aloud.

"But really, Adelita, You always are goin' on about your daddy not being around. What's wrong with a little rebellion for once?" Carter pointed out, taking out a pistol and checking the ammunition.

"Rebelling is one thing, getting yourself killed is a completely different matter," Adelita shot back, setting her basket down and taking Hilario on her lap. She petted him as she continued, "Besides, you do realize that even though your close to becoming a ranger, that doesn't mean you can go barging onto another's property because you think something is wrong. Especially when it's Santa Rana."

"Who says we're barging in. We ain't that stupid," The rooster clicked his gun shut, now beginning to check the ammunition on the other pistol. We're sneaking in and finding out what that Santa Rana is up to and who in the heck those people are. Adelita, you and your daddy say yourselves that you think he's evil. What if it's something big and it's gonna hurt your home?"

Now that was hitting a nerve for Adelita. Carter had definitely won her over with _that _thought. Santo Pollo was her home and she didn't know what she'd do if anything bad were to happen to it. It was what she felt everyone in Santo Pollo felt. It was a small village but it was a proud, cultural, and friendly one as well. If that wasn't a reason to protect it, Adelita couldn't find one better.

"Alright. I'm in," she said determined. Both Claudia and Carter smiled happily until Adelita held up a hand, "But only if we are there and gone in ten minutes. No more and no less, and if you think that we're going to do any pranks while we're there, I will leave you behind."

"No you won't," Claudia smiled softly, taking a sip of Yum juice with a satisfied sigh. "You're heart is too big to leave any of us behind."

"I've got them! I've got them!" Bailey shouted as he ran right through the doors while carrying a thin black trunk. He skidded to a stop right in front of the table and slammed the trunk right on it. "These should suite you just fine, Addie."

Adelita raised an eyebrow at him, but he just gestured with his wings in excitement, "Go on! Open it!"

She only shrugged and unclipped the buckles that locked the trunk and opened up the lid. Her eyes widened as she looked at the red velvet casing that held two silver rapiers crossing each other, as if two duelists were blocking each other's attacks.

"Where in the Spiral did you find these? They're beautiful," Adelita gasped, running a hand over the steel of the graceful weapons. Hilario jumped up onto the table from her lap and sniffed at the swords in curiosity.

"In my attic. Don't know why they were there, but it was just collecting dust," Bailey explained. "I'm sure nobody will notice that they're gone."

Ever so slowly, she grasped the hilts of the rapiers and pulled them out of their casing and held them up. They felt so light and delicate yet so strong and deadly, like they were made just for her.

"When do we leave?" she asked.

* * *

"I don't know what you plan on doing here, but it's your funeral, children," a banditoad warned as he let the group of four off at the back of Castillo Sapo.

Just as Bailey had said, Adelita had noticed the strange looking ships that had docked at the front of the fortress. They were yellow and made of wood and metal, with black sails that held what looked like a metal gear as its symbol.

"We'll keep that in mind," she said, placing a pouch of gold coins into his hand.

As soon as the banditoad took his ship and left out of their sight, they pressed themselves against the wall and spoke of a plan.

"You don't have a plan!?" Adelita snapped, slapping a palm on her forehead. "What kind of ranger goes to a possible conspiracy without a plan?"

"I was actually kind of hoping you would come up with one. You're clever like that, honey bun," Carter winked at her, giving her a sly smile.

Claudia and Bailey shook their heads and Adelita shuddered in unpleasantness as she said, "First of all, do _not _call me that ever again. Second, thank you. I'll admit that I am pretty crafty, but you do realize I need a bit of a heads up for things like this!"

Hilario, meanwhile, sniffed furiously at the ground, his nose picking up the scent of something strange. It may have been the strangers that had come or the new place that was forbidden to him and his mistress.

"Great," Bailey slapped a wing over his face. "We've got no plan and no way out of here. What are we going to do?"

They turned their heads sharply at the sound of Hilario's sudden squeaking. He jumped up and down excitedly in front of what looked like a drain. The bars looked pretty loose and could easily be moved.

"Good work, Hilario!" Adelita patted the head of the Armadillo Verde. He gave out a satisfied squeal and jumped onto her shoulder. "Come on, let's get these bars out!"

Adelita and Bailey took one bar and Claudia and Carter took another, the four of them pulling at them until they finally gave out. Throwing them to the side, it seemed like a perfect way to get in and out without detection. Except for one thing.

"How in the name of Boot Hill am I gonna fit in _there_?" Carter complained, trying to yank at another bar to make room. Sadly, the other bars were good and sealed in tight.

"Hmm," Claudia rubbed her brownish gray muzzle in thought. "Perhaps you can be a lookout. Every successful plan needs a lookout."

"Huh?" Carter asked, rubbing his head with a wing.

"It means we go inside the drain and you stay here and keep watch," Adelita explained, getting on her knees as she started crawling through the drain. "If you see anything suspicious, give us a sort of signal and we'll come back."

"W-what do I do for a signal?!" Carter whisper shouted into the tunnel as Claudia followed closely behind.

"Why don't you just scream into the drain? I don't think anyone will notice if you do," Bailey said, getting onto his knees as well and crawling after the girls.

"Right, right," Carter blew out a breath of air as he leaned up against the wall, tapping his clawed foot on the ground.

Meanwhile…

"I think I see a light," Adelita whispered behind her and continued to crawl, only to be able to be able to stand up as they entered a sort of chamber. In the middle of the chamber was a metal ladder, the light coming down from it. Obviously they needed to climb the letter to get inside.

"What do you think is up there, Addie?" Bailey asked, eyeing the ladder suspiciously.

"Something unfortunate, I suppose," Claudia said, her bushy tail twitching, as if she were sensing danger at the end of the ladder.

"Well let's not turn back now," Adelita said, climbing up the ladder with Hilario still perched on her shoulder.

They looked unsure, but Bailey and Claudia followed suite. As soon as she reached the top, Adelita saw that wooden planks were blocking the way. Thankfully, it only took a simple push to lodge them out of place.

She slowly and cautiously peeked over the edge of what looked like a well and observed their surroundings. It looked like they were in the courtyard of Castillo Sapo. The door to Santa Rana's palace was dead ahead of them. It didn't look like anyone was around to guard the front door, which was fortunate for them.

"Come on," Adelita whispered down to them, climbing up out of the well. Bailey and Claudia climbed out after her and looked around.

"It's…unusually quiet. Where are the guards?" Claudia questioned aloud.

"Probably inside. Come on," Adelita ducked down slightly, Hilario pressing himself into her neck to keep himself hidden, and rushed to the side of the palace.

Still feeling unsure but also curious, Claudia and Bailey rushed after her, making sure to keep low and not get spotted. Adelita looked from window to window to look for any suspicious activity until she finally found something that was _definitely_ suspicious.

She opened the window slightly as Bailey and Claudia peeked their heads over slightly to get a good look.

There were Frogerales behind Santa Rana himself, who was seated at his desk. In front of it were row by row of what looked like robotic men. They wore strange white masks and and even stranger clothes. The one that looked to be the leader carried a sword at one side of his waist, a pistol on the other, and was dressed slightly different than the others.

"And so, that's the agreement," the leader said, his voice monotonous and emotionless. "Once we have El Toro, you reveal him and hand him over to us. You will then never see him again. Will you accept?"

_No, _Adelita thought, furrowing her eyebrows and shaking her head in disbelief.

Santa Rana smiled evilly, mostly what the others were doing as well, "I will be more than happy to accept. That menace has been a pain in my plans for too many years! And you're sure he'll never show his face here again?"

The leader nodded, "It will be as if he never even existed."

"No!" Adelita gasped before she realized how loud she was going to be. Bailey and Claudia slapped a wing and paw over her mouth but was too late.

The clockwork men and Frogerales snapped their attention to the window and one of the Frogerales growled out, "Looks like we have some uninvited guests."

"Don't just stand there, you fools! Get them!" Santa Rana shouted.

"Run!" Adelita whisper shouted and rushed both Claudia and Bailey back to the well. "Go, go! Get out of here!"

"Wh-what about you, Addie?" Bailey asked, his green eyes desperately hoping that she was going with them.

She smiled sadly at them and grabbed Hilario, who squirmed nervously in her grip and set him in Bailey's wings, "Take care of Hilario until I get back. Now go. GO!"

Bailey frowned and swallowed the large lump in his throat before going down. Hilario squeaked and struggled to get out of his grip as he went down the ladder, Claudia following and setting the planks back in place before the front doors were violently pushed open. Adelita turned around sharply and saw that the robotic men were marching out, circling her and blocking off any escape route.

She unsheathed her two rapiers and prepared herself to fight as the robotic leader and Santa Rana exited the palace.

"Well well well, Adelita de la Vega," Santa Rana chuckled darkly. "Didn't your father teach you it's rude to intrude in the home of your dear _presidente_?"

"He would've if you _were _my dear presidente, you horrendous fiend," Adelita growled with narrowed eyes.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, child," Santa Rana replied.

"Who is this child? She is of no importance to this mission," the clockwork leader said, his hand hovering over his pistol.

"As a matter of fact, Deacon, she may be the key to luring El Toro to his doom," Santa Rana said, putting his hand up as if to stop him.

Deacon, however, swiftly brought out his pistol and fired, shooting a cloud of electricity crashing at Adelita's body, buckling her knees and forcing her to the dirt.

"You're crazy if you think El Toro will fall for such an obvious trick," she gasped, trying to regain control of her aching body.

"No," Santa Rana nodded. "But he won't be able to resist rescuing the daughter of my favorite aristocrat. Your father will do anything to get you back, even send El Toro to come here after you, but sadly, you _won't _be here."

Her eyes widened at the last part of that sentence. It only made her blood freeze like Polaris her heart burn with hatred.

"I think that since I will be working with you for some time, I believe it would only be fitting that she should spend a few days with you and your men, Deacon," Santa Rana said to the leader. There was evident smugness in his voice as he finished with, "I'm sure it will take a while for Don Rodrigo to have El Toro come to his beloved daughter's rescue."

"Of course," Deacon nodded. "Take her to the ship and make sure she is properly…accommodated to her new life."

Still unable to move her legs or arms, she was yanked up by two of the marine clockworks and dragged through the courtyard to the front gates.

"Lift your head and take a good look at Santo Pollo, Adelita," she heard Santa Rana shout to her. "'Cause you're never going to see it again."

Adelita hated to take orders, but did it anyway, only because she loved the sight of her beautiful home. It was small, even from a distance, but it was home and she knew she would not be seeing it for a while and it broke her heart.

But not as much as it did when she turned her head behind, past the clockworks that followed the ones restraining her. At the corner of Castillo Sapo, Bailey's beak poked out, and then his entire face. His emerald eyes went wide with fear and concern. He nearly ran out to go after her, but was pulled back by Carter and Claudia, who also looked worried at her. It was all she remembered before her vision went black as midnight.


	2. The Armada

**Yay! It's chapter two! Okay, just like my other stories, I will now answer some reviews!**

**FrittzyCrazy- I'm glad you're enjoying this so far. Thank you.**

**NightSkyWolves- Well, thank you very much. I hope you'll be a common reviewer for this story now that more chapters will be coming out.**

**spannerette- Adelita is human-sized and most of the animals are super-sized to an extent. Usually you would need to either look at pictures on the internet to get a good idea or actually play the game. **

**Anyway, I don't own Pirate101 or its characters (I wish I did), they belong to KingsIsle Entertainment. I own only Adelita, Hilario, and other friends. Enjoy!**

_BANG! _Adelita shot up, only to fall to the wooden surface of the floor as pain crashed her skull. She silently cursed as she grasped her head, unable to bear the brunt of the devastation. To her body and her emotions.

She looked around and saw she was in some sort of cell. The door was solid metal and looked nearly impossible to break through. Outside was one identical to hers, only she saw a curled up lump lying in the corner. Another boom shot through her hearing, literally shaking the room she was in.

"Come on, monkey! She's got to be here somewhere!" A voice with a sailor's accent boomed as she heard footsteps tumbling towards her cell.

"I'm on it, I'm on it!" A voice, sounding thick with a Polarian accent, yelled back as the stomping became louder.

Two sudden blurs rushed past her cell. One was large and red, the other was smaller and blue.

No more than a few seconds passed before the one dressed in blue came back to the front of her cell. The blur was a monkey dressed in a blue officer's uniform with metals, obviously indicating he was an expert in his field, whatever it was.

"I think I found her, Captain Boochbeard," he said, he having the Polarian accent. Adelita blinked at him and took her hands off of her head.

The heavier set of footsteps came trampling back and in front of Adelita's cell. He was the large red blur that had passed by. He was a white-bearded man dressed in a red coat and brown trousers with brass-buckled shoes.

"So it seems, Gandry. Good work!" He said, he being the one with the sailor's accent as he took out a ring of keys, his only good green eye searching for what looked like the key to her cell.

Adelita stared at them strangely, but her eyes widened as she saw that the both of them carried cutlasses and each had a pistol in a holster on their belts. She also couldn't help but take in the metal on the pirate captain's hand that was curved to a fine, sharp point.

"Who are you? Why are you helping me?" she asked just as the pirate found the right key and unlocked her cell.

"You are Adelita de la Vega, no?" the monkey, Gandry, asked, taking the ring of keys and ravaging through the trunk that lay to the side of the cell.

"Y-yes," Adelita arched an eyebrow in curiosity, slowly getting to her feet.

"And you're from Cool Ranch. Santo Pollo, if I'm not mistaken," the pirate, Boochbeard, said as he slid her cell door open.

"What? _From_ Cool Ranch? Where am I?!" Adelita asked, now panicking as she looked around for a window.

Another blast racked the ship they were on, making them stumble as it was literally shaken to its very core.

"No time for explanations," Gandry said, opening the trunk which held Adelita's two rapiers and her bag. He tossed them both to her and said, "We must hurry and leave!"

"Wait! Take me with you!" a feminine voice yelled out.

Adelita's attention snapped to the cell across from hers as she slung the bag over her shoulders. The dark lump unfurled and got to her feet. Stepping from the dark shadow of the cell revealed a swan. A Mooshu swan, by the sound of her accent.

She was dressed in a silky cerulean kimono and wore wooden sandals under her black, webbed feet. Her neck was long, and her black hair was messily covering one of her jade green eyes.

"Please," she begged, her white wings grasping the bars as tears threatened to shed from her eyes. "Take me away from this awful place."

Adelita nodded and snatched the keys from Gandry and went to unlock the door.

"We have no time for this! We must leave immediately!" Gandry exasperated, looking back and forth between the stairway up and back at Adelita.

"I will not abandon her! She needs help!" Adelita shot, not looking away as she hastened herself to find the right key. Finally, the lock clicked as she inserted a silver key and twisted it.

"Thank you. Thank you so much!" the feathered maiden let a wide smile spread across her beak as the door to her cell slid open. She got to her feet and rushed out of the cell, wrapping her wings around Adelita in gratitude.

"Are you alright? I am Adelita, as you may have already heard," the Santo Pollish aristocrat smiled, patting the back of the Mooshu swan.

The swan backed away, bowing her head in greeting, "I am fine. I am named Kotori Swannasaki. I am truly in your debt, my friend."

"Okay, okay! We really need to get going now!" Gandry pushed at Adelita's legs, seeming to snap her out of her stupor and nod in confirmation.

"Right. Let's go!" Adelita wielded her rapiers, following Boochbeard and Gandry down the hallway and up the stairs onto the main deck.

"You have got to be joking," Adelita growled, narrowing her eyes as she held out her rapiers in defense. Kotori gasped and ducked behind Adelita, her long neck having to crane down to hide herself.

Just in front of the group of four was a group of clockwork soldiers, marines raising their shields to block any escape for the pirates and prisoners and the marksmen aiming their spark-throwing rifles at them. Up on the higher deck was Deacon. His gaze locked down at them, more specifically on Adelita.

"Seize them. Do not allow the girl to escape," he ordered, his voice loud enough to hear but still monotonous.

"Is he talking about me or you?" Adelita whispered to the Mooshu swan.

With a trembling quiver to her voice, Kotori replied quietly, "Does it really matter?"

"Oh boy," Boochbeard scratched the back of his neck. "Looks like we'll have to fight our way through."

"This is not going to be easy," Gandry brought out his pistol, ready to fire.

"B-but…I do not know how to fight," Kotori sadly admitted, lowering her emerald eyes in shame.

"Luckily, I do!" Adelita hissed, charging forward and cross-slicing two clockwork marines before stabbing her swords right through them both. That statement was only half a lie; she had never fought with the rapiers in her life, but she could somehow picture herself fighting with them and succeeding with it. So far, it was working.

"Yar! Good on ya, girl!" Boochbeard boomed, now taking out his cutlass and slashing the rifle of a marksman before kicking it over the edge of the strange ship.

"Not bad, for a beginner, no?" Gandry grunted, slapping on his pistol as it shot a large bundle of electrical blasts, incinerating four clockwork soldiers altogether.

Kotori was the only one not fighting, and the whole time she was trembling, not knowing how to help in anyway. Her sandals shuffled slightly, her long neck craning and her black hair swishing in the wind as she kept on guard anyway. She could not help but feel completely useless. The swan had no fighting skills or street smarts and she knew it perfectly well. In fact, she had gone most of her life without any violence whatsoever.

"You fools. Capture them," Deacon ordered.

The doors below him as six more clockwork marines marched out onto the deck from below. Adelita and the two pirates backed into each other, each of them right in front of a shaking, frightened Kotori as they were trapped in the circle.

"This. Is not good," Boochbeard stated, his cutlass now starting to look as if it is tired of fighting as his hand began to shake.

A flash of yellow suddenly burst through the first clockwork marine and flew right over Gandry's head, the feather on his hat nearly flying off because of it.

"What is _that_?!" Gandry nearly yelped, his paws clenching the edges of his hat as the little speed demon of a ball ricocheted and thrashed two more of the robotic marines.

Everyone's eyes were on the ball as it viciously attacked the last three soldiers of Deacon's onslaught. The little ball fell to the ground after that, motionless at first, but the rolled across the deck and stopped at Adelita's feet. The ball unfurled and squeaked in happiness.

"Hilario!" Adelita cried out happily, the Armadillo Verde leaping into her waiting arms. Hilario squealed in joy and snuggled into her chest.

"Such power and adorableness from one so small," Kotori craned her neck over Adelita's shoulder and down at the little yellow and green bundle.

Gandry took a quick second to observe the ring of dismembered clockwork soldiers around them and nodded in agreement, a bit bewildered, but amazed all the same, "Incredible. Just…incredible."

"Impressive," Deacon commented, grabbing their attention once again. They tensed dramatically and revealed their weapons, showing that they were ready to finish the fight, even with Hilario jumping to the ground and scratching at the wooden deck while growling. Except for Kotori, of course, who shied away behind Adelita.

"Much more skilled than I anticipated. Enjoy your freedom….for now," the lead clockwork finished. Before any of the only living beings on the mechanical ship could blink, Deacon brought out his pistol and fired at them.

"Hit the deck!" Boochbeard shouted as he and Gandry dove to the floorboards. Adelita and Kotori ducked down as the cloud of electricity fired right over their heads.

_BOOOM!_

Adelita gave out a painful cry as the explosives behind the small group combusted, throwing all of them across the ship, she having the front of her abdomen slam against the railing. She breathed heavily as her hair hung over the edge of the ship where she could only see the clouds beneath. She breathed, also, in relief, for if she was thrown even higher or with no railing to hit, she would have gone overboard.

Lifting her head, her turquoise eyes widened in complete alarm. All around her, she saw no tall, steep cliffs that would have surrounded her home. Instead, she saw green on all of the land that was possible to see. It was safe to say that she was definitely not in Santo Pollo, or even Cool Ranch for that matter, anymore.

Hilario squealed out in panic, biting at his owner's ripped dress to grab her attention. It wouldn't budge her, she couldn't even think straight anymore. She was really away from her world, away from her friends, away from Rosella and Diego, and away from her father. She had said those horrible things, not even to his face, and now she would probably never be able to tell them she takes it all back.

"Adelita! Snap out of it! We need to go!" Kotori wrapped her feathered hands around Adelita's arms and pulled her away from the edge of the ship. The Santo Pollish girl limply followed along, being led by the guiding wings of the Mooshu swan.

"This ship is done for and won't stay skyborne much longer," Boochbeard coughed, he having inhaling some of the ash that had been produced from the explosion. The two former captives had trudged over to the two pirates as Gandry wheezed out, "Come, we must get to the ship!"

It was at the time that Adelita had snapped out of her stupor and regained her senses and reflexes. She grabbed onto Boochbeard's arm and helped him up to his feet. Kotori grabbed onto the large pirate's other arm and acted as a support to help the captain across the planks from the mechanical ship to a wooden galleon.

Boochbeard's jolly roger was truly one of a kind. It was of his head, an impressive cutlass clenched between his teeth. The galleon they stood upon was old, no doubt about it, but was good for travel and battle through and through.

"Now what?" Adelita called out over the loud explosions and everything. Hilario bounced off of the planks and rolled to the center mast, where he thought it would be safest. Boochbeard gave out a harsh cough and pointed to the helm of the ship, "There. Yer gonna have ta steer us out of here!"

"What?!" Gandry exclaimed. "You would let an inexperienced teenager drive your own ship-"

"Okay!" Adelita, not even hesitating, let go of Boochbeard's arm and rushed up the stairs to the wheel of the ship.

She grabbed onto the wheel, her left hand on the ten o' clock position and her right on the two o' clock position. She spun the wheel to the right as strongly and swiftly as she possibly could. The galleon responded beautifully as it pulled away from the quickly deteriorating clockwork ship. Just as the planks were pulled away, the Armada ship gave out another great boom before an explosion racked the entire vessel, the craft now sinking down beneath the clouds.

"You are an exceptional sailor, young captain," Gandry complimented as he reached the top of the stairs. "Where in the Spiral did you learn how to do it?"

Adelita smiled, "It is fortunate that Juan had let me steer his ship more than a few times when I was little."

"Yer good at steerin' a ship, I'll give ya that," Boochbeard held tightly onto the railing as he was still weak from the impact of the electrical blast, Kotori following behind him. "It'll come in handy when ye get a ship of yer own."

"What?" Adelita looked to him, clearly confused. "Can't I go home? Surely you can take me there."

Gandry shrunk down and nervously rubbed the back of his furry neck, "Um…about that. We would if we could, but sadly…we can't."

"What? Why not?" Adelita at both of them disbelievingly. Even Kotori looked at them in complete shock.

"Well, we would need a Blue Windstone to get from here in Skull Island to Cool Ranch, which we don't have," Boochbeard answered, now finding a bit more of strength.

"So…what do I do now?" she asked them.

"I'm afraid there is only one thing _to _do. We must travel to Skull Island and you will need to find work until a Blue Windstone can be found," Gandry explained.

"You mean I must become a pirate? Like you two? I'm not sure if I can."

"Sure, you can! You already know how te fight, how te steer a ship, and you've got a pet. He's no parrot, but he 's a good fighter," Boochbeard gestured down to the Armadillo Verde on the center deck.

"And what of me? I cannot fight and I know nothing of nautical experience," Kotori asked, looking at both of them desperately.

Boochbeard and Gandry both looked at each other, then back at the Mooshu swan. Gandry tried to reassure, "Well, you know what the term 'nautical' means. That's a start!"

"Besides," Boochbeard interrupted, "there are plenty of trainers on Skull Island. I'm sure one of them can show you the ropes to it all."

"Um…so, where am I steering this ship, exactly?" Adelita asked, not exactly knowing where to go.

"Just steer towards the island with a mountain shaped like a skull," Boochbeard waved a hand in dismissal.

Adelita's turquoise eyes scanned the skyway for the very island. She saw many strange creatures along with a few ships which she assumed them to be pirate ships. Then she spotted an island that looked to be a town and a beach mixed together. Behind it seemed to be all jungle with a round, white mountain with a face. She had to assume that that island was Skull Island.

"Alright, then. Fasten the sails, then! We're now bound for Skull Island!"

* * *

"I cannot believe that you kids would do something so stupid, irresponsible, and so dang dangerous! Not only that, but Adelita's gone!" The three adolescents cringed dramatically at Sheriff Cogburn's gloved wing slamming down on his desk.

It wasn't to say that he was the only adult that was outraged. Each of the teenager's parents were gathered in the rooster's office including Bill Peacock and Jane Canary. Of course, only the parents of the _present _children were there. Bailey, who was still clutching Adelita's basket to his chest, sat in the middle of Carter and Claudia right in front of the desk.

Rooster Cogburn shook his head, "Why did you three do it in the first place?"

Bailey, Claudia, and Carter looked between each other guiltily. Finally, it was the crow who spoke up, "W-we saw strangers headin' into Addie's skyway. They looked like trouble so…so we thought we'd investigate."

"Kids," Bill said to them, causing them to look in the direction of peacock saloon owner. "Listen up and listen good. When all of you got a badge and warrant to flash, you can go and invade all the fellas you think are no good as much as your little hearts desire. But until then, you don' go look for trouble if you get so much as a whiff of it. You turn tail, and you come tell one of us. Understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Peacock," they all muttered.

"Boy, I can't believe you would think to do something so stupid!" growled a white rooster with brown patches at Carter. His father, Marcus, shook his head in complete frustration.

"Pa, I was doin' what a ranger does. We take chances so we can do the right thing," Carter tried to reason in a low voice.

"Yes we take chances!" Marcus snapped at him. "But there's a huge difference between takin' a chance and riskin' a life, which is exactly what you three did! And now…well, now your friend is payin' the price."

Claudia's brownish tan ears flattened on her head, which lowered in shame. Bailey whimpered just a little and hugged the neatly woven basket closer to his chest.

Jane sighed, "Why did you even bring Adelita into this? Better yet, _how _did you bring her into this? Of all four of you, I expected her to have to most common sense."

Claudia looked up, her violet eyes saddened as she explained, "It wasn't so much that she wanted to come in the first place. We had convinced her that her home would be in danger so that she would help. Now I see that it had only aided that fiendish Frogerale in his malicious plans."

Her adopted father, a Bison Shaman named Wind Whisperer, blew out a breath through his snout, his hoofed-hand clenching around his staff as he nodded, "Yes. I had heard the Totem Spirits whisper of a terrible force invading our world. They have come. They wanted the Hornless One you call Adelita and now they have her. What they think to gain, I do not know."

"They want El Toro, sir," Bailey spoke up, causing the others to turn to him, especially his mother. "That's why they wanted her. They want her daddy to send El Toro to find her but it's all a trap! She made sure we'd get away so it wouldn't happen!"

"Aw, come on, Bailey!" Marcus scoffed at the long, skinny legged crow. "Don't tell me you believe all that talk about that ol' fairytale. That's all that he is, boy. A _legend_. He don't really exist."

"I don't care! If he exists or don't exists, I don't know and I don't care! All I know is that he's important ta everyone in Santo Pollo and especially to Addie! And if he's important ta her, he's important ta me, so shut it!" Bailey snapped at the ranger.

His mother, Margaret McKrane, gasped, "Bailey Theodore McKrane!"

"I'm sorry, Ma, but it's true," he shrugged, now looking down broken hearted at the basket of his best friend, who he wished he knew if she were all right.

Marcus sighed, "Well, I guess the real question now is what do we do?"

Rooster nodded, "Gonna have to round up a search party. Gather up the few free rangers and deputies that we got and have'em search around Skull Island."

"Why Skull Island?" Margaret asked, her black wings clamping down on her son's shoulders.

"It's the only Stormgate here in Cool Ranch. If we hurry, we can get'em before they go to a world we won't be able to reach."

"We'll come and help, too," Carter said, standing up out of his chair.

"You will do no such thing. You've done enough already," Marcus glared at his boy.

"Actually, there is _one_ thing these three can do," Rooster said, a smile now creeping across his beak.

"Huh?" All of them turned to him, including the children.

"Well, you say that Adelita got herself kidnapped so that Santa Rana could lure and capture El Toro, right?" he asked the teenagers.

"Uh huh," Bailey nodded.

"And he hopes that her father will call El Toro, who doesn't even know about this," Rooster continued, only one of them catching onto the horrifying truth of the sheriff's logic.

"Oh no," Carter shook his head, his blue eyes widening in terror. "You can't be serious. It's suicide, especially for me!"

"Oh yes," Rooster nodded at the three of them, now a frown creasing from his beak. "You three are going on a ship to Santo Pollo, you're gonna march up to the De la Vega home, and you're gonna explain to Don Rodrigo _himself_ what happened. And don't even try to leave out any details because I will ask him so on my first report on his daughter's whereabouts."

Carter, Bailey, and Claudia looked to each other in worry and in fear. It wouldn't be easy to tell possibly the richest man in all of Cool Ranch of the abduction of his only child. His adopted child, but his child nonetheless. Not only that, but the man was a Santo Pollish bull and, well, they knew good and well what happens when you mess with a bull.


	3. Skull Island Cuisine

**Yay! A whooping chapter three! We get a new crew member in this chapter and it is a girl! There are seriously not enough girl pirates in this game, so I'm making a change to it. I really can't wait to start on the next chapter! I do not own Pirate101. **

**I only own Adelita, Hilario, Diego, Rosella, Bailey, Claudia, Carter, Kotori, and the new crew member. I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

"I must say, without a doubt, that this is a place where I have never seen so much color," Adelita commented, walking with Kotori close to her side and Hilario on her shoulder through the marketplace. "Nor have I felt that I should keep my money so close to me."

It was a very colorful place indeed, both the people and the merchandise. Jewelry stands, armories, everything was so exotic and new to both girls. The rats ran most of the shops, most of which looked very shifty and suspicious.

"Speaking of money, um, are you, and forgive me for asking, but are you…are you an aristocrat, Adelita?" The Mooshu swan asked hesitantly.

"Why, as a matter of fact, I am," Adelita answered casually. "Or, I was. It seems we must become pirates, so as of now, I am not."

"Oh! Right!" Kotori laughed silently to herself. She then froze in an instant, feeling a twisting sensation in her stomach. "Um, Adelita?"

"Hmm?" the Santo Pollish captain turned back, now noticing that she had gotten a few steps ahead of her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing severe, but, do you perhaps think…maybe we could find some food to eat before we go and see this 'Captain Avery' that Boochbeard and Gandry had spoke to us about?" Kotori questioned shyly.

"Oh, Kotori, of course we will!" Adelita smiled, stepping to the swan and placing a comforting hand on her silk-covered shoulder. "I am so sorry. I should have thought of you when we got off the ship! How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"About two days, at most," Kotori answered, giving a small smile back in reply.

"Well, let's not wait any longer!" Adelita looked around and then brightened up. "There! _The Kraken Skulls Tavern_. Seems like an ideal place to find something to eat."

_The Kraken Skulls Tavern _was a basic building. Dark brown wood was the main foundation of it all with a Kraken's head mounted over the door that led inside.

Adelita opened the door and was greeted by the smell of Yum and something being roasted. Something that she couldn't quite place, but it made her stomach lurch in excitement. She had not realized just how hungry _she _was as well. With just a little bit of fear in their posture, the two girls walked forth, shutting the door behind them as silently as they could.

Even with the silence of the door shutting, all eyes immediately turned to them, and eyes of every kind of creature that they have never seen. Dog pirates and rat brigands, and even more gave them a sort of look. Whether it was a distrusting look they gave strangers or an evil look they gave to vulnerable strangers with some gold to spare, they couldn't tell.

"Let's just find a table and keep our heads down," Kotori whispered to her captain, who nodded in agreement as they kept moving forward. Not too long after, the two found a table close to the stools where many sailors and pirates were eyeing them still, occasionally sipping on their Yum.

"What do you think they have to eat here?" the Mooshu swan asked her captain. "I hope nothing too vile."

Adelita shook her head, "No. I have not been many places in my life, but I can say that no matter how many bad places there are, there is always another that is far worse. I'd say we are fairly lucky."

"I hope you are right," Kotori whispered to herself, looking down at her white feathered fingers, toying with one another.

"'ello, there. What can I get for you girls today?" A female Wharf rat waitress asked the two, stopping at the foot of their table with an empty platter in one hand. She was dressed in a bright yellow dress shirt with brown trousers. She had wavy violet hair that a majority of it was being held in a red bandana.

"Hmm, how about two pints of Yum juice and…what do you recommend to eat? We're strangers to this land," Adelita kindly asked.

The rat chuckled, "I can tell. A lot to choose from, but if I had to decide, I would choose the Flying Fish Filets with Crawlie Claws as a side. That sound good?"

"Well, it's certainly new to me. Why not? We'll take it," Adelita nodded in confirmation.

"Oh, and would ya look at that? Looks like you'll be gettin' it fresh!" the waitress excitedly pointed towards the front door.

The two foreign females turned and saw something that made their jaws drop. Two creatures, both of which were about half of Adelita's size, if not, only a little bit taller, were carrying a long, thick stick at both ends. In the middle, about three Flying Fish were tied up, dead, skinned, and ready to be cooked.

The creatures in question were not only short, both of them were covered in light brown fur with tan bellies, though one of them was just a bit lighter in shade than the other. They had black bills and black claws on all four of their paws. Their clothing, to the girls, was just as strange.

The one in the front, which they assumed to be a male, was especially bigger than the one in the back. His fur was darker in shade and his bill and claws were longer and thicker. His flat, round tail was also longer than the one behind him. He wore a short grass skirt, a beaded necklace, and a grassy headdress upon his head.

The one in the back was relatively smaller than the one in the front, so they assumed that the creature was a female. Her fur was lighter in shade, her bill was shorter, not to mention the claws were shorter and narrower, but definitely sharper. She wore a longer grass skirt and a strip of leaves across her upper torso. Blue and green paints marked her face, naming her either some sort of shaman or possibly a witchdoctor.

"Those are some big _pesca_," Adelita commented, watching the fish and the creatures disappear into the back. "What are those creatures, anyway?"

"Water Moles," the waitress replied. "A bit barbaric for my taste, but their awfully good at catching the biggest fish in this skyway."

"Hmm. Well, how much will this cost? I am sure I have enough here for the two of us," Adelita asked, bringing out her money pouch.

The rat's ears flattened on her head and her green eyes widened. She swatted her hand down on Adelita's, making her push the pouch closer to the pirate captain, "Are you mad?! Don't you know it's dangerous to be flashing that much gold off in a place like this?"

Adelita looked around, her eyes shifting as she now noticed the stares she got from a few of the more observant patrons. More specifically, the stares that were directed at her lap.

"Well then," she whispered, turning her attention back to the waitress. "We'll just have to spend it so there's none to steal. Do you know where can I find a store for clothing?"

The rat's ears perked up again, "Sure I do. I know every shop around this place."

"Would it be trouble if you could show us? If I am going to start a pirate's life, I think this old thing will not do in combat," Adelita gestured down to her once nice dress.

She stood back up and looked thoughtful before saying, "I'll get you yer drinks and have a word with the boss. See if I can take ya girls shoppin'."

"Good. We are making excellent progress," Adelita smiled to herself, clapping her hands together and rubbing them.

"How do you think?" Kotori asked, shrinking down from the harsh and greedy gazes.

Adelita shrugged before furrowing her eyebrows and shuddering as she felt a cold, tingling sensation on her leg. She looked down and her eyebrows shot back up at seeing the hem of her dress lifted up slightly. The female Water Mole was smearing a greenish paste on a large scrape on her leg.

"Uh…may I help you?" the Santo Pollish captain asked as the creature pulled out what looked like gauze.

The Water Mole looked up at her with pale blue eyes and merely pointed at the gauze and back at her wound. Adelita immediately understood and she lifted the hem of her dress, "Oh, of course."

The Water Mole then proceeded to wrap the bandage around the human girl's leg. Adelita just had to ask, "I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met properly. I am Adelita."

"I am Akala Nalu," the Water Mole introduced, taking what looked like a splinter-like twig and sticking it through both ends to keep it firm. "Paste will clean wound. Will make scar go away, too."

"I am only curious," Akala turned her attention onto the swan as she cautiously asked, "but do you always carry things like that with you?"

Akala nodded, "Yes. I carry them. I am healer in my village. They do not like my potions and pastes."

"Why not?" Adelita quirked an eyebrow, dropping the hem of her dress back to the floor. "Where I come from, the doctors and healers are highly respected."

"As in Mooshu, as well," Kotori nodded in agreement. "Healers in Mooshu are highly revered and are a beacon of comfort to the lower ranks."

"I do not follow traditional medicine practices. I create new medicine. Better medicine…but they do not want," Akala sadly spoke, slumping and lowering her head in shame.

"Well…I have never gotten a scrape this bad before, but I do know that it _es muy dolorido_ to disinfect. I cannot feel even a sting of pain," Adelita chirped, giving the Medicine Mole a reassuring smile.

Akala straightened up and and perked, "That is work of leech venom. It makes paste green and gives no pain. It is one of my experiments."

"One of them? I would like to hear more about them. It sounds like you would make great medical discoveries for everyone," Adelita smiled and then turned back to the Mooshu swan. "That reminds me, we had best find a healer for our crew."

"Oh, yes! Definitely!" Kotori nodded, her feathered fingers intertwining with themselves. "We will do no good in a fight if we are too injured."

"You…you need healer, then?" Akala asked, her pale blue eyes starting to brighten a bit.

Adelita arched her eyebrows, "That depends. Are you volunteering for the position?"

"Yes! Yes!" Akala threw up a furry arm, eager to get the position. "I will gladly come and be healer for you!"

The Santo Pollish captain smiled and laughed, "Okay! You're hired!"

"Yes! Come to my village later when you are ready! I will be ready!"

With that, Akala Nalu dashed down on all four paws throughout the tavern, causing many of the patrons to shout and glare at the semi-aquatic mammal. They seemed to really love it when she finally darted out the door and out of sight.

"She doesn't seem so sad about leaving home," Kotori noted.

"If she what she said is true, I would not feel sad either," Adelita commented.

"Alright, dears. 'ere are yer pints," the waitress came back, setting two large mugs down on their table. "Yer food should be ready in a few moments. When yer done eatin', I'll go ahead and take ya girls shoppin'."

"Thank you, _se__ñora_," Adelita nodded as she took the handle of her mug.

"Please. Call me Rachel," The brown-furred rat smiled.

"Okay, Rachel. I am greatly looking forward to the shopping with you," Rachel smiled at her and walked away to tend to another table.

"I do hope the food here is as good as Rachel says," Kotori said, now gaining a bit more confidence despite all of the intimidating glares from mainly the male pirates.

* * *

"Mmm…" Adelita sighed in great content, leaning back in her chair at her full stomach. Hilario sat on her lap, eyes closed and breathing lightly as he rested off his full belly.

"That was the best meal I've had in weeks," she smiled, grabbing the second mug of Yum juice and took another swing.

Kotori couldn't even talk. Her long neck was lying on the table, a more than content smile crossing her beak and her black bangs spread over her half-open green eyes.

"Looks like ya learn quick," Rachel commented as she leaned against a wooden pole next to their table. "Gotta tell ya, though. Bein' nice around here only means you're an easy target. So watch yourself out there."

"I will keep that in mind, thank you," Adelita sat up straight and stretched her arms and legs. "Now, as for the matter of payment…"

Rachel nodded and held out a paw, "That'll be twenty gold pieces, please."

"Done," Adelita casually poured a number of thirty-five gold coins into a pouch and set it in Rachel's paw. "Keep the change. You deserve it."

"Pete! I'm goin' out!" Sarah yelled out, removing her apron and tossing it to the counter of the bar.

It only took a good two hours to get the few necessities that Adelita and Kotori would need in order to start the pirate's life: new clothes for combat and for comfort, a compass for when they obtained a ship, a magical cloth in which to design a unique pattern for their flag, and a bag to carry it all. Not much, but it would suffice until after they officially started.

After all was done, Rachel bid them a farewell before going back to the _Kraken Skulls Tavern_. Now, they were on their way to find Akala Nala and then to find the 'Captain Avery' that was mentioned to them by Boochbeard.

"Ade-I mean, Captain?" Kotori asked almost shyly.

She was now dressed in a cyan blue robe and indigo-colored, baggy trousers. An indigo-colored sash crossed diagonally across her chest and around her waist. She felt that if she were to be a part of Adelita's crew, she should at least dress in the same color. Her black hair was now brushed out and neatly tied up in a tight bun with only a strand or two falling down the side of her face.

"Kotori. We do not even have a big enough crew, yet. You don't have to call me 'Captain' just yet," Adelita said to her.

Adelita, now out of her torn dress, was clothed in a loose, long-sleeved white shirt, comfortably tight black trousers, and black, calf-length boots. She also wore an indigo-colored button-up vest and a cyan sash wrapped across her waist with the remaining length waving alongside her hip. Her rapiers were now in holsters attached to her belt that swung slightly with each stride.

"Now, what is it?" the Santo Pollish captain asked, Hilario currently sleeping inside of the bag with their old clothing.

"I was wondering. Should I get weapons of my own?" the Mooshu swan stopped as her captain did. Adelita turned to her with a strange look as Kotori said, "Well, with you as a fighter and a leader and Akala to be a healer, I must help in some way."

Adelita's eyebrows knitted together in thought. Of course, Kotori didn't seem like the fighting type, but then again, she never thought of herself as a fighter until finding herself upon the clockwork ship. Even if Kotori would find her true place on the crew in time, she would have to learn to defend herself in battle in the meantime.

"Very well, Kotori. If you feel that way about it, then we shall find you something for you to fight with.

* * *

"I don't think this will work, either," Kotori gasped as she set the heavy sword onto the table inside the armory shop. "It is much too heavy."

Adelita turned to the store's owner, which was a large, burly crab, "Do you have anything else in the matter of light weaponry."

The clerk put a claw to his chin in thought before responding, "I may have one thing, but there's somethin' you oughta know about it."

He reached down under the counter and brought out an antique box. As he set it on the counter top, Adelita and Kotori gathered around it before he opened it up for them to see.

Side by side were two Mooshu-style fans, both light green in color with the image of a lotus blossom on both. Tiny emeralds were embodied into the handles, but nothing else. This greatly confused the two as they looked at each other. The fans were beautiful, but how could they possibly be considered weapons?

"Uhh…" They had no idea how to respond.

"I know, I know," the owner waved a claw. "I don't get it, either. One of the teachers in Captain Avery's Court gave'em ta me a while ago, tellin' me to give'em to someone who could use'em right."

"What are they still doing here, then?" Adelita asked, taking her eyes off of the fans while Kotori's never strayed from them. "I would think that anyone would pay through the nose to get their hands on them."

The crab nodded, "These things have left and came back so many times. It's like a bloody circle! I give'em to some up an' comin' pirate, they present themselves to the teacher, she takes the fans away, she returns'em ta me, tellin' me they didn' make the cut!"

"She must be most strict when it comes to these fans," Kotori commented, running a feathered finger down the silkiness of the fan.

"You wanna give'em a try? They're all yours," the crab said, pushing the box towards the swan.

Kotori's eyes widened, pushing back at the box, "Oh, but I doubt we even have enough money to pay for them!"

"Don't need to. Another condition the teacher has. Said how 'true talent can't be discovered through money' or somethin' like that."

Adelita and Kotori looked to each other. It was almost as if Kotori were silently asking permission for her to take them. The Santo Pollish captain shrugged her shoulders and said,

"They can be yours if you choose. It is your choice."

Kotori's eyes went back to the fans, looking over them once more. Gently, she took the fans out of their case and held them in her wing tips as if testing how they fit in her wings. Apparently, it was like they were made for her and her alone.

* * *

Bailey couldn't help but winced as Rosella cried while Diego was holding her, consoling her as gently as possible.

"Shh, shh. I'm sure that Adelita will be alright, my love," he softly whispered to her, stroking her back as she pushed her face further into his shoulder.

That's to say, Don Rodrigo de la Vega, humble land owner and benevolent father, was in a much worse state. He was not able to sit down from the news, but then again, what father could? He had just lost his daughter to complete strangers and had no idea if she were even dead or alive.

He ran a hoof down his white snout, his eyes forcibly shut as he still ingested the story. His other hoof was clenched in a fist, setting itself against the wall.

Carter's nonexistent eyebrows furrowed further until he couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up from the chair he sat at and stepped forward.

"It's my fault really, Mr. de la Vega," he said, making all but the bull in white himself look at him. He sighed and said, "She didn't wanna go. I talked her into it. If I knew how dangerous it was gonna be, none of us woulda gone."

Calmly, at least as far as they all knew, Don Rodrigo blew a harsh breath through his nostrils. Carter shrunk down and winced just a bit as he asked,

"You really wanna hit me right now, don't you Mr. de la Vega?"

Don Rodrigo looked at him from the corner of his eye and said softly, "If only it would bring Adelita back to me, I would."

"I shoulda figured," the rooster soon-to-be Ranger's shoulders slumped.

Rosella managed to compose herself enough to say, "W-What shall we do?"

"I'm afraid this is completely out of our control. Even El Toro will not be able to reach her now," Don Rodrigo stated, his ears lowering down onto his head as it hung down in despair and shame.

Bailey looked around the room, seeing nothing but hopeless expressions. He grew more determined before standing up and saying,

"Then we'll do it ourselves. We'll bring Addie home, Mr. de la Vega."

"What?" Claudia's jaw dropped at the sudden decree.

"Come on! We can do this!" the crow pressed. "It's our fault Addie's missin' in the first place! It's only right that we go and find'er!"

"I would agree under different circumstances," Don Rodrigo began, finally turning to them, "but Bailey, you are no older than _mi hija_. You don't know what's beyond Cool Ranch any more than any of us!"

Bailey's chest puffed out with his arms lying flat against his sides, "That's a risk I'm willin' ta take, sir. And I ain't takin' no for an answer, neither!"

Claudia's tan ears straightened as she stood up, "Then, I will accompany you, Bailey. I can acquire a ship and a Blue Windstone."

The two teens turned to the only remaining of the group. Carter's nonexistent eyebrows knitted together as he shook his head.

"Sorry, but I can't…"

"WHAT?" the two chorused, looking at the brown rooster unbelievably. Just three hours ago he was in Cogburn's office _fighting _for the opportunity to find Adelita. And now he was just going to back down?

"Guys, think about it. We're already in enough trouble. They ain't gonna let us leave Cool Ranch just like that! Don'tcha think we've broken enough rules for one day?"

"Rules shmules!" Bailey clasped his feathered hands over his paperboy hat in exasperation. "Our friend's been kidnapped-!"

"Not to mention, under _your _lead," Claudia interrupted with a smirk.

"Thank you," Bailey kindly smiled at the coyote before frowning again at the rooster as he continued, "Addie's been kidnapped and now you're gonna chicken out ta get'er back?"

The frown on the young rooster's beak creased even more as he crossed his wings and turned his head away with a harrumph. Bailey's frown deepened as well and he crossed his wings as he said,

"Fine. I see how it is. Big an' tough in Cool Ranch, but too much of a wuss to wander away from home."

"I ain't a wuss!" Carter suddenly snapped at him, narrowing his sapphire eyes at him. "I'm just thinkin' is all!"

"No, no," Bailey nonchalantly put his wings up. "I get it. Everyone's got their limits and all. Yours just can't get past the Stormgate, is all. Nothin' ta be ashamed of."

Letting out a growl, Carter pushed his hat over his eyes and said, "Fine. Just don' expect me ta carry all the weight."

Purposely bumping Bailey's shoulder roughly, Carter walked out of the room. It was silent for a moment before Don Rodrigo turned to the crow with a small smile on his face,

"Reverse psychology. Very nicely done, Bailey."

Bailey suddenly lost his calm, serious manner and shrunk down with wings behind his back and a big smile on his face, "Oh, gosh! It was nothin', but I meant said, Mr. de la Vega. We wanna get Addie back, too. And we're gonna do it! Nothin' ain't gonna stop us, neither!"

_BAM! _

All winced as the ditzy crow stumbled backwards from rushing straight into the wall. A white vase with dark orange markings stumbled a bit on a table next to the crow and nearly tumbled off. Bailey scrambled and caught it in his wings. He smiled sheepishly as he set the vase back, stepping in the way of the archway where Carter disappeared, declaring,

"Okay, _now _nothin's gonna stop us!"

As he rushed out of the room, Claudia ran a paw down her snout with a heavy sigh. She turned to the three residents of the large manor and said, "I will be sure to be in charge of those two. Good day, and don't worry."

After the violet-eyed coyote left the room and the manor with the two boys, Rosella sniffled with a small smile crossing her beak,

"Bless that Bailey McKrane. He always looks out for Adelita…even if he does nearly break that vase when he visits. That had to have been at least the twenty-second time."

However, Don Rodrigo's mood seemed to have dropped as soon as the children left the room. His eyebrows furrowed and he scowled deeply as he shook his head.

"Those three should not be going to find Adelita. _I_ should."

Diego frowned at the bull, still hugging and comforting his wife as he chided, "Rodrigo, you know you can't. Santo Pollo needs you here."

Don Rodrigo blew a harsh breath through his nostrils in distaste, "What's the point? Adelita, _mi hija_ _quierida_, was one of the few things that gave me strength to protect our home."

"Don't talk like that, Rodrigo," Rosella exclaimed. "Thirty-two years we've watched you grow up from a young calf into a who you are now and we have never seen you like this before!"

Don Rodrigo's ears flattened as he hung his head, his blue eyes saddened as he spoke softly, "And in the past fourteen, she has stolen my heart and has given me the strength and courage to carry on. Especially with what happened all those years ago."

* * *

"I have a question for you, Bailey," Claudia asked, walking to the right of the crow with Carter walking to the left as they strolled through the village of Santo Pollo. "How do we even begin to look for Adelita? For all we know, she could be many worlds away by now."

"I don't know," Bailey shrugged his shoulders. "But I do know that Addie is a fighter. She'll get away from those guys one way or another! I just know it!"

Suddenly, the wind blew harshly at them, blowing off both Bailey and Carter's hats and making them fly through the village.

"My hat!" Carter exclaimed, rushing off along with Bailey to retrieve their hats. Claudia's tannish ears flattened as she shook her head, taking off after them. She couldn't believe that their friend was in need of help and there they were chasing after their hats!

The wind suddenly turned sharply, blowing the two caps into what looked like a medium-sized, purple tent. Bailey's clawed feet grinded against the ground as he skidded to a stop in front of the tent's opening. Unfortunately, Carter wasn't as lucky.

"OOMPH!" They both grunted as the two tumbled into the tent. Claudia followed right in but stopped. She looked around, seeing all sorts of mystical charms were hanging from the ceiling and candles were lit all around.

A horse gypsy was sat at a table in the middle of the tent, looking down at the two boys with a look of utter calm and knowing. She was in a purple dress with a matching head wrapping.

"Uh, sorry ma'am," Bailey pushed the brown rooster off of him as he got up on his knees. "We didn' mean ta barge in. It was-"

"No accident," she responded. "It was fate. Your friend is lost and must now travel to find her."

"How'd you know that?" Bailey asked, mystified at the gypsy's knowledge.

"It has to be news from here to Cooper's Roost!" Carter scoffed as he got up, dusting himself off from the dirty floor. "Look lady, we ain't got no money ta give ya."

"Did Madame Anastasia ask for money?" she asked, turning her glance towards the rooster. "No. I say the fates have brought you here because they have asked me to help you. To guide you."

"Ya mean…you know where Addie is? Really and truly?" Bailey asked, his green eyes brightening and a wide smile crossing his beak.

"No, but I can guide you to your lost friend," Madame Anastasia said. She casted her gaze down to the crystal ball that sat in front of her, and placed her hooves flat onto its surface. Her eyes sharpened suddenly, "I see something."

"What is it?" Claudia asked, approaching the table. "Is it Adelita?"

"No. It is…a symbol. It is _her _symbol. If you wish to find your lost friend, you must find this symbol."

"Well what is it? We gotta know!" Bailey exclaimed.

"Don't tell me ya'll are really believin' this hogwash!" Carter shouted, really starting to really get fed up with the fortune teller's so-called prediction.

"Hogwash or not, we have nothing to start off of, Carter!" Claudia growled out, her ears flattening as she glared at him. "You wanted to find her and now we're getting our chance, so just be quiet!"

Carter jerked back in surprise, nearly stumbling over his feet in the process. He blinked his cobalt eyes and looked away almost shamefully.

"It is a creature. A creature downed in feathers and fur the colors of her dress," Madame Anastasia said.

"So it's a bright blue and an indigo color we're lookin' for," Bailey muttered to himself.

The horse gypsy nodded and continued, "The creature has the head and wings of the majestic eagle and the body of the mighty lion."

"Oh, oh! I know this! I heard about it in a book once! It's a..it's a…a griffin!" Bailey perked up.

"I say this before you begin your long journey, children," Madame Anastasia said. "Find this symbol, and you will find your friend. You will face many dangerous trials, but you will find her, but be warned: she will change over her journey as you will on yours."


End file.
